Ian Doyle on why Cup defeat marks the beginning of the end of an era at Everton

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WRITING in his programme notes before Tuesday night’s encounter with Reading, David Moyes warned of the FA Cup’s knack of throwing up strange results.

But the oddest aspect of Everton’s subsequent dismal elimination against the Championship side was it wasn’t strange at all.

In a week in which two of his strikers ran into car trouble, this was an accident waiting to happen for the frustrated Moyes.

By beating Chelsea in the previous round, Everton underlined their ability to take on and beat the Premier League’s leading clubs, having lost to only Arsenal in 11 games against the top-flight’s top six this season.

But by losing at home to Reading, the Goodison outfit demonstrated a propensity to falter in the face of the so-called lesser lights when the onus and expectation is placed firmly upon their shoulders.

So a campaign that started with such high hopes has now effectively been written off by a deserved FA Cup humiliation that exposed the shortcomings of the current squad.

The defence, a bedrock of every Moyes team, remains worryingly porous; just two clean sheets in the last 21 games tells its own story.

The midfield has consistently lacked the guile and wit to break down even the most basically-organised of opposition rearguards.

And the attack, which Moyes feared in the summer would be the Achilles heel for his team, has proven expectedly unreliable, despite Louis Saha’s New Year revival.

So, now what?

In the short term, Everton cannot afford to suffer any hangover from Tuesday’s defeat. While six points off sixth place, Moyes’ men are still only five points clear of the relegation zone.

And while hopes of silverware have been dashed, it would be wrong to suggest Everton’s players now have nothing to play for this season.

Their Goodison futures are likely to be on the line giving the nagging suspicion the current team is reaching the end of its natural cycle.

Moyes may have to rip it up and start again. But the issue with that is obvious.

“There’s still a situation where we are not good enough to win lots of games,” said Moyes in the wake of Tuesday’s defeat. “It’s obvious. It’s not going to go away just because we have won a few.”

The Everton manager didn’t have to elaborate further on the situation. Everyone is acutely aware of the financial restraints within which he has to work, with the release of the recent club accounts prompting chief executive Robert Elstone to state there would be no transfer warchest in the summer.

Moyes therefore faces a major decision over how to approach the next transfer window.

Rather than bolster resources with significant new arrivals last year, the Everton manager instead chose to concentrate on retaining the core of his squad by offering key players fresh contracts.

It was a decision that has ultimately backfired, Everton having cried out for new blood in recent months with the smattering of close season signings making negligible impact.

While Jermaine Beckford has at least contributed some timely goals, the trio of Jan Mucha, Magaye Gueye and Joao Silva have started four games between them.

And rather than use the recent January transfer window to bring in reinforcements, Moyes has been pressed into cutting costs by allowing James Vaughan and Yakubu depart on loan and sanctioning the sale of Steven Pienaar.

With Pienaar refusing to sign a new deal and poised to walk away for nothing at the end of the season, the potential £3m raised from the South African’s move to Tottenham Hotspur was good business.

But the sign it sent out was unsettling. Are Everton once again becoming a club that sells its best players?

It’s not difficult to see where the squad could be pruned. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has frustrated too many times and John Heitinga has failed to convince. Even Victor Anichebe, who recently penned a new contract, could have no complaints at being shipped on after flattering to deceive.

However, it seems the only way Moyes can generate the money needed to facilitate a major squad rebuild is by cashing in on one or more of his prized possessions.

The past sales of Wayne Rooney and Joleon Lescott have shown chairman Bill Kenwright willing to hand over the funds to his manager.

But such is the precarious financial climate at Goodison, it begs the question of whether Moyes would allow key personnel to depart in the knowledge he may not be given access to the money.

This approach, of course, has the knock-on effect of making potential investors, should they even exist, think twice over pumping money into a club that appears to be regressing at a time so many of its near rivals are looking forward.

Marouane Fellaini, one of Everton’s better players this season, would seem the most likely to attract serious interest with Chelsea long-time suitors of the Belgian, although Moyes is keen to begin talks with the midfielder over an improved contract.

Twelve months ago, Mikel Arteta would have been mentioned in the same bracket but the Spaniard has seen his stock fall after an underwhelming campaign, while Phil Jagielka’s injury problems may have weakened Arsenal’s pursuit of his signature.

Jack Rodwell has also failed to hit the heights this year – not helped by a serious injury in the autumn – although Fellaini’s absence for the remainder of the campaign gives the teenager an opportunity to justify the hype that has attracted Manchester United.

The final issue, though, is with Moyes himself.

Nearing the ninth anniversary of his arrival at Goodison, the Scot would be forgiven for growing weary at swimming against the tide.

There have been signs in recent weeks, though Moyes would never admit it, that the fight and burning desire has dimmed, if only slightly, in the face of the continued obstacles that are blocking his path to success with Everton.

One thing is for certain, however. Tuesday’s defeat has marked the beginning of the end of an era at Goodison.